The Canadian Pension Plan (CPP) is an excellent source of income for Canadians. It basically forces Canadians to save for their retirement, and once retirement hits: there it is, waiting for you. Yet if you don’t need that cash right away, the Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) can be a great place to invest that cash for even more future income.
By doing this, investors can actually bridge the gap between what CPP offers and what they need based on their current income. So today, let’s look at that gap and see how a TFSA and CPP can be a match made in investment heaven.
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The target
First off, we need to define what the income target is going to be. CPP starts at 60, but let’s say you can wait until 70. If you’re doing that, your monthly payments become higher. For 2025, the maximum monthly CPP payment at age 65 is about $1,400, but if you wait until age 70, that boosts to $2,000 per month! That helps bridge the gap right there. That adds up to $24,000 per year!
Now let’s say you want to create $50,000 per year during retirement. That would mean starting to invest in your TFSA early and often to bridge that gap. Ideally, the gross yield will equal the net cash flow you need, in this case $26,000. So let’s look at two options that could provide this.
CHP and BCE
Two solid choices among dividend stocks to help bridge this gap right now could be Choice Properties REIT (TSX: CHP.UN) and BCE (TSX: BCE). These two provide growth and income, and look as though they could be on the rebound as well.
CHP is a grocery-anchored retail real estate investment trust (REIT) supported by 97.8% occupancy and Loblaw renewals. Its current adjusted funds from operations (AFFO) payout sits at the 80% range, a level the REIT has sustained for years. What’s more, it offers monthly cash distributions for its 5.2% dividend yield, making it an ideal dividend stock to bridge income gaps.
Then there’s BCE, which has seen its share price drop during the last few years. However, after cutting its dividend, it’s now looking to be back in the black. The cut reset expectations, making the new payout far more defensible. With free cash flow (FCF) expected to now grow between 6% and 11% in 2025 with lower capital expenditures (capex), its 5.4% yield looks very enticing at these levels.
Adding it up
Both of these companies are a solid way to generate predictable cash flow from stocks that have paid out dividends for years, if not decades. The dividends are also resilient in groceries and telecom services, allowing for stability even during difficult economic cycles.
Plus, in a TFSA, these distributions and dividends can be reinvested again and again until CPP begins. Therefore, even though we’re talking about high numbers here, you won’t have to invest as much to bridge that gap the earlier you start. It also provides you with a cash buffer once retirement hits. Right now, to reach $13,000 per year in annual dividend income, here’s how much you would have to invest in each stock.
| COMPANY | RECENT PRICE | NUMBER OF SHARES | DIVIDEND (annual/share) | TOTAL PAYOUT (annual) | FREQUENCY | TOTAL INVESTMENT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BCE | $31.89 | 7,429 | $1.75 | $13,000.75 | Quarterly | $236,910.81 |
| CHP.UN | $14.69 | 16,884 | $0.77 | $12,998.68 | Monthly | $248,058.96 |
Bottom line
Yes, these are big numbers. But as mentioned, if you’re looking to start now and wait until 70, that can mean investing far less and letting compounding do the heavy lifting. Meanwhile, your investment will grow through not just dividends, but returns as well! All in all, if you want to bring that $24,000 up to $50,000, these two dividend stocks could certainly help bridge that gap.
